Book III: Fire
by potato-sensei
Summary: Guess what's happening in season 3 of Avatar? Who cares? I'm writing my own version of what will happen! So far Aang's lost his bending, and Mai and Ty Lee are ready to team up with Jet! Rated T, for some possible graphic violence in later chapters.
1. Prologue: Opposite Ends of the Crossroad

**Book III: Fire**

**Prologue: Opposite Ends of the Crossroads**

Aang lay silently on the pile of sleeping bags the group was now using as a bed. It was the best they could make due with, now that the group were fugatives again. Katara touched his soft head, and wiped his forehead gently with a damp cloth. She continued healing treatments on the burn on his back. She hadn't moved from his side in several days, and hadn't eaten for even longer. All she could worry about was Aang, and how she didn't save him from himself that time.

Thoughts fluttered in and out of black and white dreams. Everything seemed blank in Aang's mind. He found it hard to picture the faces of friends... of anyone... When he was finally able to picture his friends, he saw himself call out to them, but his voice was gone, and no one could hear him. He tried to fly over to them, but his airbending was gone. And then, the world around him cracked, and all that Aang loved... dissappeared.

Aang jolted awake, gasping for breath, and shouted, "No!"

"Aang, are you alright!? I'm so glad you're awake!" exclaimed Katara, with tears in her eyes. Her joy at seeing Aang awake was shortlived though, as she approached to hug him tightly.

"Don't touch me!" barked Aang, and with that he recoiled from Katara's touch.

"Aang?" cried Katara.

"Please, don't touch me..." said Aang, as he started to weep bitterly. He buried his head in his knees, and cried softly, wishing to himself that none of this had ever happened.

* * *

Zuko lay silently on a regal new bed. According to Azula he would have nothing to worry about from now on. But all he could think about was what had happened. How the Water Tribe girl had pitied him- a simple peasant had felt sorry the prince of the Fire Nation. And then... Uncle... Zuko's stomach churned, and the sick feeling that had grown in him returned. He didn't know which way to turn anymore. Did he really betray Uncle? Or had Uncle betrayed him? And most of all, would his father accept him back home? Would he accept him as Prince of the Fire Nation again? Would he accept him as his son?

All these thoughts flowed through his mind. After all the wrong that had happened to him, when he finally thought he took the right course... it didn't feel right.

In a few days, Ba Sing Se would be left in the hands of Mai, Ty Lee, and the Dai Li. Zuko and Azula would return home, and Uncle would be handed over to the Fire Lord as a traitor to the Fire Nation. But what about Zuko's return home? Technically, wasn't Zuko a traitor as well? He had obstructed the duty of Fire Nation soldiers, and of the Princess in the capture of the Avatar. He had even helped the Avatar escape on several occasions. What about Zuko? Was he indeed a traitor?

* * *

_a/n: It's a short chapter folks, but it will get much more interesting. This is more or less just a prologue, to remind everyone of what happened in the finale, and to give you an impression of where everyone is at emotionally and physically and stuff. I don't expect too many reviews, but what I get will be appreciated. That's all for now, stay tuned for the next chapter. :D_


	2. Loss of Power

**Chapter 1:**

**Loss of Power**

Aang had fallen back into his somber sleep, after remembering what had happened back in the caves of Ba Sing Se. After a while though, he awoke again, and arose slowly, examining the newly formed scars on his arms and hands. He reached around to feel his back, and brushed a rough patch on his back. "Agh!" he gasped inward. The wound still hurt when touched. Even with Katara's healing ability, the wound was deep and harsh. It wouldn't heal easily.

Carefully, Aang stood, and looked around for his shirt, which he spied in the corner, draped loosely over his staff. The shirt was full of holes, and he could only imagine the number of holes in the wings of his glider. After a minute of thought he decided to borrow a shirt from Sokka.

As he walked out to where the group was, sitting huddled around the campfire, it was deathly silent. Sokka and Katara both looked at Aang's way, glad to see he was awake, but as Katara went to speak Aang's name, the word's stopped in her throat as Aang stepped into the light of the campfire. They could make out all the cuts and burns on Aang's skin. For a minute, no one spoke, and then Sokka finally broke the silence. "You must be hungry," he said quietly, and he handed Aang a few figs they'd found.

Aang sat, but not without a grunt of pain as he lowered himself to the ground. Then he simply ate the figs, not making a sound. The campfire was unbearably silent. It seemed that everyone in the group just sat there and stared at Aang eating. After about 30 minutes of awkward silence, Toph finally spoke up, "Look, are we going to be this way from now on, because hearing is one of my favorite senses?"

"Toph's right," agreed Sokka. "We can't just sit here and keep our mouths shut. We can't just pretend that none of it happened either."

Katara, trying to forget what happened, stammered out, "B-but back at the caves . . . "

"We lost, okay? That's all there is to it!" shouted Toph.

"This is what I was trying to avoid by not speaking," said Katara. "I didn't want to fight with you guys about what happened!"

Then, the Earth King interrupted, "I think that . . . " the children all looked his way, "I think that you children are tired. It's been a long journey and you've gotten this far. But . . . you can't save the world all by yourselves," he explained as he rubbed Bosco's head.

"But . . . I guess . . . you're right . . . I can't save the world by myself. But how can I expect to save anyone, if I can't even save those closest to me?" asked Aang, desperate for an answer. Aang's tone was not his normal happy tone; it wasn't even his bummed out tone when Katara acted all motherly and told him, "No" for the millionth time. It was the voice of someone who had nothing else to look forward to in life.

"Now, Avatar Aang, I didn't want you to shift the blame to yourself," said the Earth King in a concerned voice.

"But it's true! I couldn't save my own people, I couldn't save Yue, I couldn't save Ba Sing Se, or General Iroh, and I couldn't save--! I couldn't save--" He looked at Katara in desperation, tears pouring from his eyes, and he fell down on his face and cried, "I couldn't save you, Katara! I'll never be able to save you! And that's why I can't save the world!"

"Aang . . . " whispered Katara, who was crying silently.

"The guru told me . . . that in order to unblock my final chakra . . . that I would have to let go of the person I love the most . . . but I can't . . . I'm not strong enough to be near you . . . I'm not strong enough to save you, Katara!"

"But you've almost mastered all of the elements, Aang," explained Katara.

"But it's not enough," said Aang, "I think that it would be best . . . best if . . . I left you guys."

"What!?" said everyone in shock.

"We won't abandon you, Aang," said Sokka.

"Yeah, you're like family to us, Twink-- ah-- Aang!" said Toph.

"You can't do this all on your own, Aang!" argued Katara.

"It's the only way that I can save you," replied Aang, and he grabbed his staff. He walked off a little ways, until he couldn't see the light of the campfire anymore, and opened his glider. But as he ran to take flight, he fell flat on the ground. He quickly stood and examined the glider, which was apparently not terribly damaged. There was no reason that it shouldn't fly, unless--! And assumed the stance for creating the air scooter, and once again, fell to the ground. He tried several stances of Airbending, without success. In desperation he tried to earthbend, with no luck, and tried with waterbending, and made no difference.

Aang was no longer a bender of any kind.

* * *

a/n: Ha! Aang's not a bender anymore! Bet you didn't see that coming, did you? Will he get his powers back? Who knows? The next chapter will probably focus on Zuko and his turmoil as a traitor, and maybe even a visit to the spirit world.

But we'll get back to Aang's turmoil and lack of power, too. There's only one way to get his bending back, and only one man who can teach him, but will Aang get back together with the group in order to find this person?

Stay tuned for the next chapter:D


	3. Mai's Choice

**Chapter 2:**

**Mai's Choice**

As the troops readied themselves to return to the Fire Nation, there were no heartfelt "goodbye's" between friends. There was no embracing. Not even a "Have a safe trip." It was quiet, and... peculiar.

It reminded Zuko of his days aboard his ship. There was always a silence when leaving port. Zuko was a vagabond, and the men knew that once they left port, it would be long before they saw home again. And they were right... for three long years, those men were away from home. And then on that fateful day, when Zhao took Zuko's crew... Zuko knew he would never see the faces of those who had been so silently loyal to him for such a long time.

"This silence..." commented Zuko.

"Is only temporary, dear brother," interjected Azula, "They have a reverence for royalty of the Fire Nation. But it's just for now. Soon we'll be home, and there will be celebrations! Father will welcome you and I home with a festival!"

"Do you really think so?" he asked.

"I know so, my brother," she replied, smiling.

As the brother and sister stepped onto the ramp to go aboard ship, a squeaky voice stopped them, "What's this, Azula? No good bye? Or good luck?"

"Who needs luck, Ty lee? I'm leaving Ba Sing Se in your capable hands," she replied.

"Hey, Mai, you better get your good bye in before it's too late," said Ty lee suggestively, as she discreetly pointed in Zuko's direction.

"Shut up," said Mai annoyed, and she jabbed a quick punch into Ty lee's arm. But however annoying the reminder, Mai would not let Zuko slip away without a goodbye again.

"Prince Zuko!" she shouted, and Zuko turned, eyes tired, and looked at Mai right into her dark eyes. It was those eyes. With the look of those eyes, Mai remembered the one and only reason she ever came along on this journey with Azula. And with one look, anything she planned to say earlier fell in her throat, and only allowed a few to pass her lips.

"Prince Zuko... be safe," said Mai, and she grabbed Ty lee and walked away quickly.

"Mai? Mai, what's wrong?" asked Ty lee, concerned.

Mai's dark makeup was running down her cheeks mixed with tears, "She's going to betray him, Ty lee. She's going to betray him again!"

Ty lee stammered "But, Mai! B-but Azula never said--"

"Forget what Azula said, Ty lee! Azula always lies!" Mai shouted. "We have to stop this somehow."

"But Azula left us here to take charge of Ba Sing Se, Mai. We can't just--"

"Do you really believe that she left us in charge of the city? Azula left us here because she was done with us."

"You mean... we're not needed anymore..."

"Precisely," said a dark voice.

"Long Feng. What's this useless old man doing out of a cell?" asked Mai.

"See now, it's not nice to throw words like 'useless' around... especially when... well... you know," replied Long Feng, and in a flash the two girls were bound by stone.

"Take them below to the prison. We're taking the city back, and very soon we can pretend that none of this ever happened," he ordered.

It was a long walk to the prison, and both girls were blindfolded. Suddenly they came to a stop, and were quickly thrown into a cell.

"You can't do this! You can't!" shouted Mai, but it was useless to speak. But from the shadows of the cell came a voice they had not heard before.

"Hey... so what're you in for?"

"None of your business!" said Mai strictly.

"That's a good one. Same reason I'm in here. Allow me to introduce myself... My name is Jet."

* * *

a/n: lolz. Now I know no one saw that coming. Right? Well, if you did, then you get a cookie. So do you think that Mai, Ty lee, and the freedom fighters will team up? Will Jet be ok with them once he finds out they're Fire Nation? And will Mai be able to break out of jail and save Zuko from his sister, or will Zuko finally grow some sense and realize that , Azula does indeed always lie.

Coming up next, it's another Aang chapter! Remember? He's lost all his bending abilities and left the group. So will he go back, or just go on without them? Who knows? Keep reading:D


	4. Rock Like

**Chapter 3:**

**Rock-like**

Aang stood there and thought for the longest time... but couldn't come up with a good explanation, or any idea to how he could even get his bending back.

"Maybe if I start from the beginning... what was the first Airbending move I learned...?" he tried something basic, streaming the air, with no success. He tried over and over and over, and each time he grew more and more frustrated. "I can't do this!" he yelled, "I can't abandon them like the guru wants me to... I have to go back... but what if they don't want me back..." he muddled ideas of what they would say since he had left so abrubtly and emotionally, and then to just come running back... "They'd think I'm some kind of bipolar freak..." as he turned to walk the other way, a certain blind earthbender was blocking his path.

"But you are a bipolar freak, Twinkle Toes. One minute your floating around in the sky like a leaf, and the next your slamming rocks into the ground like a landslide."

"What are you doing here, Toph? I told you guys, I'm going alone," said Aang annoyed.

"Ugh... everyone else is back at camp blubbering like a bunch of babies... and frankly... you're the reason all of us are out here anyways... So I'm here to tell you that you can't leave... or something. Man, you're hard-headed... sometimes you really are rock-like," said Toph, equally annoyed.

_I'm in luck!_ thought Aang, _They miss me already!_ "Ok... I'll go."

As the pair started to walk, Toph stopped after just a few steps, "Aang... what's wrong with you?"

Aang was a little shocked... it wasn't very often that Toph called him by name. "It's nothing, Toph, I'm fine. I guess I just needed to be alone for a little bit."

"You know you can't lie to me, Twinkle Toes... you're steps are different."

"My steps?" asked Aang confused.

"You're stepping on the ground... but it's different... you're not... it's like you're not ready to fly away, or ride your air scooter..."

"There's nothing wrong with me, Toph! I'm the same as I've always been!--" but his words stopped early as Toph launched a rock at him. "Aaaagh!" Aang screamed, as he saw the boulder hurdling towards him, he lifted both arms to protect his face, but the rock stopped inches away from Aang, and Toph dropped it to the ground.

"What was that, Twinkle Toes? You didn't even Airbend it away," commented Toph as she twirled two rocks above her hand.

"Toph... I'm going to tell you something that you can't tell anyone else--" started Aang.

"Please, please don't tell me that you left the group because you're torn between me and Katara, and now you're out here in the rocks and you feel so compelled to confess your love to me," said Toph, sarcastically.

"Uh... no," replied Aang. "Toph... I can't bend anymore," he finally heaved the words out.

"What? What do you mean? Why not? You can't just give up, you're the Avatar!" Toph barked.

"I haven't given up... It's like my bending's given up on me. I try and try but I can't do it," explained Aang.

"So that's why you didn't dodge the rock... this definitely throws a wrench in any plans to defeat the Fire Lord...," finished Toph.

"Yeah..." he replied.

"Well... I know there's one person, if any who can help you get your bending back. But if you want to accept his help, then you have to accept help from the rest of us too, Aang," stated Toph, in a monotone voice.

"I understand, Sifu Toph," replied Aang, as he bowed his head.

"And you understand who I'm talking about, Aang?" asked Toph.

"General Iroh, of the Fire Nation... The Dragon of the West."

* * *

a/n: Kind of a short chapter, but cut me some slack, you guys got a bonus chapter this week, and I have to be at work in like an hour. I cut it off at that last sentence because if I kept writing, I'd lose the dramatic emphasis.

But now we come to the questions, Will Toph keep Aang's secret? Or will she tell the group? And now that they know they have to free Iroh, how will they go about it? And is Aang really torn between Toph and Katara? (lolz. I'm just kidding)

But on to the next chapter, I want to do some more on Mai and Jet teaming up, but we need to keep an eye on Zuko as he travels home... so hopefully next chapter will really be Zuko focused. Because Zuko's my man, guys. My favorite character can't be abandoned. Until next time. :D


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